In the art of dispensing, articles have been developed which are coated or impregnated with useful substances intended to be utilized when the article is contacted with a target surface. While there are advantages with having the substance present on or near the surface of such articles, there is often the drawback that the useful substance is unprotected and is subject to inadvertent contact before intended use. Inadvertent contact may lead to contamination of the substance, loss of the onto surfaces other than the desired target surface, and/or contamination of such other surfaces with the substance.
One approach to addressing such issues involves the use of protective packaging for the article, such as a sleeve, envelope, or other wrapping. While such protective packaging has proven effective in preserving the integrity and condition of the substance, depending upon the nature of the substance it is frequently the case that varying amounts of the substance remain on the article-facing surfaces of the packaging after it is removed from the article, thereby causing inefficient use of the substance. Moreover, such packaging adds additional non-value-added cost to the total price of the article. This approach also does not provide a method of control of uniformity of thickness of the substance since the product (substance) may be unevenly smeared on the carrier surface while in transit, storage, or upon opening of the sleeve, envelope, or other wrapping.
In the art of tapes, labels, and other articles using pressure sensitive adhesive to adhere an adhesive coated surface to a target surface, there has been recognized the problem of premature sticking to the target surface. That is, before the adhesive coated surface can be properly positioned over a target surface, inadvertent contact of the adhesive with the target surface causes premature sticking at one or more locations, thereby inhibiting proper positioning. Premature sticking may also cause contamination or degradation of the adhesive prior to final positioning upon the target surface.
One approach to addressing this problem involves the use of standoffs on a material surface, between which adhesive or adhesive elements are located. Standoffs include any means extending outwardly from an adhesive surface which is contacted first before the adhesive surface is exposed to contact by another surface. Such standoffs may be either deformable or may rely upon deformation of the target surface to provide contact between the adhesive and the target surface. Although approaches of this type have proven successful with adhesives, such materials are typically designed so that the adhesive remains attached to the material surface rather than transferring at least partially onto the target surface. Moreover, the adhesive typically remains substantially in its original placement relative to the target surface, such that a discontinuous or interrupted layer of adhesive fails to uniformly contact or coat the target surface.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a sheet-like material which is capable of delivering and dispensing a substance onto a target surface for treating the target surface while the material is in contact with the target surface and/or leaving the substance on the target surface even after removal of the sheet material.
It would also be desirable to provide such a material which protects the substance from inadvertent contact prior to placement upon the desired target surface.
It would further be desirable to provide such a material which facilitates the dispersal of the substance on the target surface beyond the area of initial placement.
It would further be desirable to provide such a material which facilitates the dispersal of the substance on the target surface without user contact with the substance.
It would still further be desirable to provide such a material which may be readily and economically produced utilizing a continuous process.